This invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an image output apparatus, a method of controlling the same and an image forming system which includes these apparatus.
Printers such as laser printers and ink-jet printers (or bubble-jet printers) are now in wide use. A laser printer forms an image by forming a toner image and fixing the toner image on a recording medium, and an ink-jet printer forms an image by jetting ink onto a recording medium.
The processes and mechanisms for forming an image in these printers typified by the foregoing are rapidly becoming increasingly complicated as the images output thereby are produced at higher resolutions and in color. For example, higher resolutions and colorization are accompanied by degradation of the output image owing to a change in environment and consumption of components (e.g. toner). To compensate for this, calibration mechanisms are employed.
The conventional calibration mechanism is provided on the printer side. However, the information processing capability of the printer is inferior to that of a computer and it is becoming increasing difficult for the printer to satisfy the recent demand for higher quality images. Further, incorporating the entire calibration mechanism in the printer is a cause of higher printer cost.